ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Despite 12 strikeouts from pitchers Chris Williams and Jack Sinclair, the UCF baseball team could not rally from an early four-run deficit on Friday night at John Euliano Park, falling in the series opener to Penn State 5-2.
Offensively, the Knights found it difficult going up against Penn State starter Dante Biasi, who went six innings with nine strikeouts. Biasi and reliver Mason Mellot limited the Black and Gold to a season-low three hits, while striking out a combined 10.
Williams made his second start of the year and was saddled with the loss after six solid innings. The redshirt senior fanned six batters without issuing a walk. The righty totaled 17 first-pitch strikes against 29 batters faced. Williams worked a pair of 1-2-3 innings in the second and sixth and went relatively unscathed, except for the top of the third.
Penn State used six hits, including a pair of extra base knocks, to drive in four runs. Williams locked it down for the remainder of his time on the mound, allowing just two runners into scoring position.
The Knights managed to halve the deficit in the bottom of the third. Pedro Castellano and Brandon Hernandez reached on a hit by pitch and a walk, respectively. With two outs, Chandler Robertson hit a hard single to right that got away from the right fielder. Hernandez came in on the knock and Castellano scored on the error.
The Black and Gold recorded just one hit through the remainder of the game.
Jack Sinclair came on in relief and tossed the final three innings, providing some much-needed rest to the bullpen. The sophomore recorded a career-high six strikeouts and surrendered just one run in the top of the ninth.
UCF (9-4) – 2, Penn State (8-2) – 5
Winning pitcher: Dante Biasi (1-1)
Losing pitcher: Chris William (1-1)
Top hitter: Chandler Robertson (2-4, 1 RBI)
Top pitcher: Jack Sinclair (3 IP, 6 K, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB)
NOTES
• Penn State leads the all-time series 1-0.
• The Knights posted six innings with multiple strikeouts.
• The three hits were the fewest since April 20 last year at USF, a game the Knights won 1-0.
• Sinclair also tossed a career-high 69 pitches.
• Brandon Hernandez, Dallas Beaver and Ray Alejo all extended their on-base streaks to eight games.
• UCF forced Penn State to strand 12 runners on base.
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